DGCA Lift 50% Cap, SpiceJet to Operate at Full Capacity from October 30

The Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) on Friday lifted the restrictions imposed on low-cost carrier SpiceJet, allowing it to operate the airlines at full capacity from October 30.

According to DGCA of India, SpiceJet can operate at full capacity during the ‘Enhanced Surveillance’ period, the air carrier had shown improvements.

The aviation safety regulator ordered the airline to operate a maximum of 50% of its flights for eight weeks in July, which was later extended on September 21. The decision meant that the airline could only fly slightly more than 2,000 flights out of a total of 4,192.

“However, as a matter of abundant caution, the competent authority has decided that the restriction as imposed in the order dated 27.07.2022 shall continue to be in force till the end of the summer schedule i.e, 29.10.2022, in accordance with the powers conferred under Rule 19A of the Aircraft Rules, 1937,” the DGCA statement in September said.

SpiceJet increased flights by 6.61% in the winter schedule

The low-cost carrier, which expects to receive approximately Rs 1,000 crore from the government’s emergency credit scheme, has been granted permission to operate 3,193 weekly domestic flights, an increase of 6.6% from last winter’s figure of 2,995.

GoAir or GoFirst’s operations will now drop by nearly 40% this winter, with 1,390 weekly flights compared to 2,290 last time.

Overall, domestic flights will be 1.5% lower this winter than last year. This winter, a schedule of 21,941 weekly domestic flights has been approved, up from 22,287 at the same time last year.

SpiceJet, whose operations were halted this summer due to a series of technical issues with its fleet, will benefit the most from the winter schedule.